Lincoln flagged as repossession hotspot

New figures have revealed that around one in every 100 homes in Lincoln are in danger of repossession.

A total of 394 possession claims were issued in the city from April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2015, making Lincoln the third highest repossession hotspot in the East Midlands, after Nottingham and Leicester.

The rate of possessions for houses with a landlord in the city was far higher, with one in 53 properties at risk, compared to the Lincoln average of one in 101.

Across the region, almost 600 people in the East Midlands were in danger of losing their home every week in the last year.

The statistics from the Ministry of Justice, and released by housing charity Shelter, are based on the total number of possession claims issued in county courts in the 2014-2015 financial year, compared with the number of households in the area based on the 2011 Census.

The number of people put at risk of eviction or repossession every week is calculated using the average household size in the UK from the Office for National Statistics (Families and Households 2014) and applying it to the total number of possession claims made over the year.

Alison Mohammed, Shelter’s director of services, said: “These staggering figures show just how many people are fighting to keep their families in their homes, after dealing with the double blow of welfare cuts and a drastic shortage of affordable housing.

“We’re doing everything we can to give advice and support to anyone who faces losing the roof over their heads, but the government must also play its part by putting a stop to further cuts to the safety net which helps ordinary families stay in their homes.”